swimming question..with another question in 1st post

[maybebaby]

I took Austin swimming at 7 weeks old. My HV said the current advice is that it's safer for baby in a swimming pool than in the park because all the chemicals they add to the water kill off any germs.

I'm a swimming teacher so was keen to get Austin swimming ASAP. He currently swims twice a week, once with me on a Thurs then at his swimming lesson (which I teach!) on a Saturday morning. He absolutely loves it!

Take her whenever you feel ready.

 

[Lola's Mummy]

I first took Lola swimming at about 4 months when we went to centre parcs but she would have gone sooner if the local swimming pool didn't flood!!

She'll be fine

 

[-Kelly-]

I asked my health visitor this yesterday - she said it's absolutely fine to take them from any age, there's no need to wait until they've had their jabs. Oliver's only 3 weeks old and she said it'd be great for him to go swimming and just to watch his temperature.

 

[valentine]

Hey midna,

You can take LO swimming at any age - the old advice comes from when babies were vaccinated against polio, before water was cholrinated - that's what I was told anyway.

The NHS advice is you can take them anytime from birth.

We took our LO regularly from 5 1/2 weeks and she loved it - she didn't last long the first time and the baby pool was a bit chilly for her, but the older she's got, the longer she's lasted in the water.

Valentine Xxx

 

[Kylie1007]

No they don't need their jabs at all to go swimming! Guess what? I took Finn to his lesson on Weds last week and he was dunked under the water! My brave boy didn't even cry!

 

[Kylie1007]

w00 cheers ladies someone has some energy to burn ..yes that includes me

And it gets even better - they sleep for AGES afterwards! My boy falls asleep the moment I get him dressed!

 

[Bee]

I'm going to be taking my LO swimming as soon as I have had my 6 week check up - as long as u are ok then u can take baby swimming

I'm also in the process of looking at doing my mother and child qualification - I am a swimming teacher but it doesn't cover baby swimming I would feel safer doing the underwater swimming if I had all the background knowledge and I'm not paying someone to do it when I can

 

[Kylie1007]

Yup...I get him dressed and put him back in the car seat (you have to be economical with what you take - the first week I took the swimming bag, my bag, the changing bag and the pushchair with the car seat on top - last week I took the car seat & the swimming bag with everything in it! ) and the moment he goes back into his car seat he's snoring away so I can take my time getting dressed without worrying about him screaming the place down!

 

[Kylie1007]

It's a half hour lesson and it's really too long for him - 20 mins would be ample. The pool is lovely and warm though - like a bath.

 

[Krystal]

Midna.. have you thought about going on a water babies course? It works out about a tenner a lesson for a ten week course but IMO is worth every single penny. The pool we use is a hydrotherapy one so it's 32 degrees. Lovely and warm! It's a 30 minute lesson. Have a look at the website though cos it's amazing what they do.

If you go to a normal pool they are usually about 28 degrees meaning you can only spend around 10-15 minutes in the pool with LO. You can extend this by getting a baby snug. You can usually squeeze 20-25 minutes if you have one.

I'd definately recommend swimming, it's such a nice time being able to bond with LO and have some fun at the same time

 

[Kylie1007]

Sweetcheeks - Waterbabies was £110 for 10 lessons here -we found swimming lessons £60 for 12 lessons I overheard someone saying that they'd taken their baby swimming and asked them where. It's at a local holiday park so it's worth asking around (or eavesdropping like me!)

 

[Kylie1007]

We hold them.
The lesson goes something like this...
1. have a sing song of "here we go round the swiming pool" sung to here we go rond the mulberry bush
2. doing widths blowing bubbles, them on their backs, zigzagging etc
3. floating on their backs
4. If youre happy and you know it splash your hands

 

[erin]

I hold her for most of the time but at the swimming pool they provide those seats so I put her on it as well for a few minutes, then hold her again. It's so fun!

 

[Kylie1007]

Is it a lesson? If so, enjoy the singing

 

[valentine]

When you go swimming do you use a baby swim inflatable seat thing or just hold them??

A bit of both - now she's older she prefers the seat, but we first took her at 5 weeks old and the seat was for 3months+ so we just held her the first few times.

Have fun! Post some pics and let us know how it goes!

Valentine Xxx

 

[Minime]

Eefie goes to puddleducks - about £99 for a 12 week course. He loves it!

 

[Kylie1007]

Finn keeps on trying to lick the water too!

 

[Gem & Leland]

can i jump in and ask , what did those of u who went swimming early dressing them in ? all the all in one suits are from 3 months , well leland will be ages before he fits them !

 

[Kylie1007]

finn's trunks are still too big for him really and he's only just 3 months. I bought him a swim nappy from bambino mio. (I got it from an ebay shop)

 

[pilkers]

can i jump in and ask , what did those of u who went swimming early dressing them in ? all the all in one suits are from 3 months , well leland will be ages before he fits them !

I wondered that too. OH is desperate to take lil miss swimming but I can't find anything to fit. Even the swimming nappies seem to be too big.